Scalp massager



I Umted States Patent [1113,545,434

[72] Inventor Roy P. Woodrufl 1 1 [56] References Cited 927 Amador St,Vallejo, California 94590 UNITED STATES p g f g- 33 2 1,713,756 5/1929Hassler 128/62 1 Patented Dec. 8,1970 1,819,628 8/1931 Van Sant 128/65Primary ExaminerRichard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-John B. MitchellAttorney-Townsend and Townsend [54] SCALP MASSAGER 4claims4mawing FigsABSTRACT: A hand-held scalp massage unit triangular in [52] Us. (I128/62, plan and formed with a concave undersurface approximating 128/67the contour of the human head. Equidistantly spaced contact [51] Int. ClA61h 7/00 pads protruding outwardly from the undersurface at the cor-[50] Field of Search 128/62, ners of the triangular body are separatedby three times their 62.1, 67, 60, 61, (Scalp Massage Digest);l32/(Inquired); 15/110, 187, I88

respective diameter for stablilizing the unit against rocking motion andtransmitting uniform pressure to the scalp.

PATENTEU 051: 8 i976 ENTOR.

mv ROY P WOODRUFF ATTORNEYS SCALP MASSAGER This invention relates to ahand-held unit for applying a massage to the scalp.

Units for applying massages to the body are known. Typically, theseunits are adapted to be hand-held at one portion and rubbed over thebody at another portion so as to apply a massage. Such units typicallyuse spaced and protruding elements for contacting the body underpressure to apply a massage.

The massage applying elements of units heretofore used have typicallybeen closely spaced and formed with their arcuate contour generatedabout a small radius of curvature. Such massage applying surfaces, asclosely spaced on the unit have the disadvantage of being difficult tohandle; these units rock in the hand when a massage is applied andapplied uneven pressure to the body. Further, the arcuate contourgenerated about small radii of curvature of such massage units contactsthe body at relatively small areas, producing a concentrated traumaticpressure rather than massaging force over a larger area. I l I An objectof this invention is to provide a scalp massaging unit which isstabilized within the hand so as to be easily held and capable ofapplying uniform pressure to the scalp.

A further object of this invention is to provide relatively largecontact surfaces for producing a comforting massage of the scalp.

An advantageof this invention is that the massage unit has a triangularshaped body which readily fits within the palm of the user. j

A further advantage of this invention is that the unit contains nomoving parts or surfaces which can become entangled with the human hairwhen a scalp massage is applied.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bemore apparent-after referring tothe following specification and attacheddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a triangular shaped unit body with theprotruding massage pads located at the body corners;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the pad shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation section taken through lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the massage unit showing the convergenceof the axes of protrusion of the mounted pads.

With reference to the FIGS., the unit comprises a triangular body A withthree projecting pads B located at the corners. Undersurface C of body Aadjoining pads B is concave defining an arcuate contour approximatingthat of the human head.

Pads B protrude outwardly at the corners of the body and have arcuatesurface contact areas of relatively large radius curvature. These areashave a curvature adapted to contact the body at their central portionspreading the force applied through the massage unit'to the scalp over arelatively large area.

The pads of massage unit B are separated one from another by distancesexceeding at least three times their respective diameter of each pad.This distance of separation gives the unit a wide based three corneredsupport when the pad is moved over the scalp surface, which threecornered support simultaneously prevents rocking of the unit within theuser's hand and applies at each pad uniform pressure to the scalp.

As shown in the perspective of FIG. 4, the respective axes of protrusionof the pads converge normally from the comers of the unit and extendoutwardly from the unit to a point of convergence P. These axes ofprotrusion directs each pad downwardly on the head of the user so thatcontact between the pad and the users scalp takes place substantiallynormal to the head.

The unit is here shown integrally formed of hard rubber, plastic, or thelike. This integral formation is preferred as it assures that there areno interfaces or cracks in the device which may subsequently becomeentangled with the human hair during massage. The plastic or hard-rubberis selected to maintain the curvature of the pads during their contactwith the scalp and provide the pads with a coefficien't of functionwherein the can easily slide over the human hair and skin of the scalfp.he triangular shape of body A is particularly suited or holding in thehand. Typically, the unit :is placed with its concave upper surface Dwithin the palm and one of its sides grasped at the four fingers. Thecorner opposite the grasped side is placed within the curl of thethumb.When so held, the massage unit can be readily'moved over the scalp whilesimultaneously being pressed downwardly to provide a soothing massage.

Iclaim:

1. A hand-held scalp massage unit comprising a body portion generallytriangular in plan and formed with a concave contoured undersurfacedefining an arcuate contour approximating the contour of a human head;three substantially equidistantly spaced contact pads located adjacentthe three corners of the triangular shaped body and projecting outwardlyfrom the concave contoured undersurface thereof; the outer ends of eachcontact pad being arcuately contoured; the minimum spacing between thecontact pads being not less than substantially three times the diameterof the contact pads so as to stabilize the massage unit against rockingmotion in the user's hand during use and expedite the users ability totransmit uniform massage pressure to the scalp via the three contactpads.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein the outer ends of the padsdefine rounded contact surface areas of relative large radius ofcurvature adapted to contact the scalp at their central portion over arelatively large area of each pad.

3. The combination of claim land wherein the axes of protrusion of thepads extend radially downwardly and convergently from said arcuateundersurface of the body.

4. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said body and said contactpads are integrally formed.

